Electrolyte Removing Device, Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing Secondary Battery Comprising the Same, and Secondary Battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021036302-A1
Application number	US-201816614201-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 18, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrolyte removing device. The electrolyte removing device comprises: a jig assembly configured to receive in a seated position a pouch comprising an accommodation part in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, a gas pocket part, and a connection part connecting the accommodation part to the gas pocket part; and an electrolyte removing assembly configured to push an electrolyte remaining on the connection part to the gas pocket part to remove the electrolyte from the connection part.

First claim

1 . An electrolyte removing device comprising:
a jig assembly configured to receive in a seated position a pouch comprising an accommodation part in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, a gas pocket part, and a connection part connecting the accommodation part to the gas pocket part; and an electrolyte removing assembly configured to push an electrolyte remaining on the connection part to the gas pocket part to remove the electrolyte from the connection part, wherein the electrolyte removing assembly comprises: a guide member configured to flatten the connection part without being folded while the guide member is moved to the gas pocket part in a state of pressing the connection part; an electrolyte removing member configured to push the electrolyte remaining on the connection part to the gas pocket part to remove the electrolyte from the connection part while the electrolyte removing member is moved to the gas pocket part in a state of pressing the connection part that is flattened by the guide member; and a moving member configured to move the guide member and the electrolyte removing member from the connection part to the gas pocket part.

2 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 1 , wherein the moving member comprises:
a fixed body; and a movable cylinder coupled to the fixed body, the movable cylinder configured to horizontally translate the guide member and the electrolyte removing member from the connection part to the gas pocket part.

3 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 2 , wherein the guide member comprises:
a first cylinder configured to horizontally translate from the connection part to the gas pocket part due to motion of the movable cylinder; and a guide part configured to press on the connection part, the first cylinder configured to vertically translate the guide part into contact with the connection part, the movable cylinder configured to horizontally translate the guide part and the first cylinder together from the connection part to the gas pocket part to flatten the connection part.

4 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 3 , wherein the guide part comprises:
an upper guide plate coupled to the first cylinder; a lower guide plate configured to vertically translate relative to the upper guide plate to come into surface contact with the connection part to flatten the connection part without being folded; and a coupling part coupled to the lower guide plate and the upper guide plate.

5 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 4 , wherein an upper portion of the lower guide plate is configured to overlap a lower portion of the upper guide plate.

6 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 5 , wherein a long vertical hole is defined in the lower guide plate, the long vertical hole overlapping the upper guide, and
a coupling bolt passing through the long hole and coupled to the upper guide plate so that the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate are coupled to each other.

7 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 5 , wherein the coupling part comprises:
a fixing piece provided on the upper guide plate; and a fixing bolt passing through the fixing piece and coupled to the lower guide plate, wherein the lower guide plate is configured to vertically descend or ascend by respectively loosing or tightening the fixing bolt to adjust a vertical distance between the connection part and the lower guide plate.

8 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte removing member comprises:
a second cylinder coupled to the guide member, the second cylinder configured to horizontally translate from the connection part to the gas pocket part due to motion of the movable cylinder; and a pressing piece configured to press on the connection part, the second cylinder configured to vertically translate the pressing piece into contact with the connection part, the movable cylinder configured to horizontally translate the pressing piece and the second cylinder together to push the electrolyte remaining on the connection part to the gas pocket part, thereby removing the electrolyte from the connection part.

9 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 8 , wherein the pressing piece comprises:
a pressing part coupled to the second cylinder; a roller part comprising a pressing roller rotationally coupled to the pressing part and configured to come into rolling contact with the connection part; and a hinge shaft coupling the roller part to the pressing part, wherein the roller part is configured to rotate around the hinge shaft.

10 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 1 , wherein the jig assembly comprises:
a fixing jig; and a seating jig which is coupled to a top surface of the fixing jig, the seating jig being configured to receive the pouch in the seated position, wherein the seating jig comprises: a fixing piece coupled to the top surface of the fixing jig; and a seating piece having elastic restoring force, the seating piece being disposed on a top surface of the fixing piece.

11 . The electrolyte removing device of claim 10 , wherein the fixing jig comprises:
a lower support plate; an upper support plate which is disposed above the lower support plate and to which the seating jig is coupled; and a height-adjusting part disposed between the lower support plate and the upper support plate the height-adjusting part being configured to adjust a distance between the lower support plate and the upper support plate.

12 . An apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery, the apparatus comprising:
a transfer device configured to transfer a pouch comprising an accommodation part in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, a gas pocket part, and a connection part connecting the accommodation part to the gas pocket part; an electrolyte removing device configured to push an electrolyte remaining on the connection part of the pouch to the gas pocket part to remove the electrolyte from the connection part, the transfer device being configured to transfer the pouch to the electrolyte moving device; a sealing device configured to seal the connection part of the pouch after removal of the electrolyte by the electrolyte removing device; and a discharge device configured to discharge the pouch from the apparatus after the connection part is sealed by the sealing device.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrolyte removing device comprises:
a jig assembly configured to receive the pouch in a seated position, the gas pocket part, and the connection part connecting the accommodation part to the gas pocket part; and an electrolyte removing assembly configured to push the electrolyte remaining on the connection part to the gas pocket part to remove the electrolyte from the connection part, wherein the electrolyte removing assembly comprises: a guide member configured to flatten the connection part without being folded while the guide member is moved to the gas pocket part in a state of pressing the connection part; an electrolyte removing member configured to push the electrolyte remaining on the connection part to the gas pocket part to remove the electrolyte from the connectin part while the electrolyte removing member is moved to the gas pocket part in a state of pressing the connection part that is flattened by the guide member; and a moving member configured to move the guide member and the electrolyte removing member from the connection part to the gas pocket part.

14 . A method for manufacturing a secondary battery, the method comprising:
(a) transferring a pouch to an electrolyte removing device, the pouch

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Seok Jin
• Koo Sang Hyun
• Ku Cha Hun

Classifications

• H01M50/60

  Arrangements or processes for filling or topping-up with liquids; Arrangements or processes for draining liquids from casings · CPC title

• H01M50/105

  Pouches or flexible bags · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/04

  Construction or manufacture in general (H01M10/058, H01M10/12, H01M10/28, H01M10/38 take precedence) · CPC title